Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-06-02
BE Mere Ready 60 Praise shas se
Blame.

Mrs. Harriet Deecher Stowe says OF
her father, DR.. Lyman Beecher, that
he had in a very high degree the pow
er Of expression; by which she means,
the power of letting those who had
done him a favor know that he was
grateful TO them for it. Perhaps to
this is partly due the fact that most
Of the children of that remarkable man
have also this power.
1t is terrible to think what mischief
has been wrought among children and
young people by this want of the
power Of expression on the part Of pa
rents and teachers. How many a
sensitive child has been almost ruined
by parents who never saw that he was
trying his utmost to please; or lfthey
saw it, never did as Lyman Beecher
did with his children, let them know
that he saw and appreciated the act,
however slight it might appear. A
little fellow has been reading of some
young hero who helped his father and
mother in all sorts CT ways; and after
racking his brains to think how he,
too, can help. be remembers that he
can fetch his fathers slippers, and
take his boots away and put them in
the proper place. Without saying a
word to anybody, when evening comes
he does it; but the father is so occu-
pied that he notices not what the boy
has done. The little fellow hopes on,
thinking that when he goes to bed his
father will say how pleased he was
to see Charley SO willing to help; but
not a word is uttered; and the boy
goes up to bed with choking feeling
in his throat, and says his prayer by
the bedside, with sadness very real
in his heart.
Parents often complain Of children
not being so ready to help as they
should be; the fault is with the pa.
rents, who have not known how tc
evoke feelings with which the heart
of every child is richly stored.
A little girl has battled bravely
with herself, and got up early on q
Sunday morning, done many little
things for her mother, hurried ovel
her breakfast, and got to her schoo
in time. There has been her teacher
stiff and cold, with Just a nod of re
cognition for the child and nothin!
more. Without knowing exactly why
the little scholar has felt very sad
How delighted she would have beef
if the teacher had, with unglovec
hand, kindly drawn her to her side
and said, with beaming face, hoV
pleased she was to see her at school 8,
early.
If parents and teachers would bu
cultivate this grace of Repression, how
good it would be Many, alas ex
ercise the grace in a way which make
one wish they were bereft of the pow
er altogether, for they are trouble,
with conscientious conviction tina
they must look for defects in thos
about them. OF course they find them
and then they are pointed out in wa,
that cruelty wounds highly consci
entious and sensitive nature and in
calculabe harm is done.
Hearts are always drawn out il
love and admiration toward those VIII
possess the gift of saying wise, strou
words at the right time. 1t is said Q
Mohammed, that once, when he wa
all unknown to fame, ne addressed
little knot of acquaintance, askin
who would Join him. and SO spok
that a boy of sixteen rushed into hi
arms, and in fierce, passionate Ian
guage declared he would.
1t is quite remarkable what result
have followed from even one simpl
expression of loving approval.
When John Gibson, the artist, wa
little boy, he is said to have sat a
the cottage window sketching SOM
geese that were passing. He sheweC
the sketch to his mother. wei
done she said; that's very nice;
would try again il l We're you" IL
tried again, and became the world-re
nowned sculptor.
Benjamin West, when about fv,
years old, was left one summer day il
the garden with a baby cousin. H,
made rude sketch Of the child
Why" said the delighted mother
"he has sketched little Sally = H,
made other sketches after that, Snt
became the fAvorite painter of Georg,
III, and President of the Royal Acad.
envy.
Years ago, a fond aunt said to 4
boy who had written out a piece o.
poetry in short hand "Why, you Il
b. a shorthand vritsr - ,ba Hon.,